SHOWDOWN AT THE GRAND (Orson Oblowitz, 2023)

[bomaz]

According to Imdb, the reported budget is $1,7M
I guess Howard is deeply involved in it as a producer, or he took a huuuge paycut.
The good reviews and the trailer made me want to watch this, even if Dolph is just an accessory (a bit like Welcome to Willits)

[Jox]

even if Dolph is just an accessory (a bit like Welcome to Willits)

Thankfully I think he's in SHOWDOWN a lot more than in WILLITS...

[Moltisanti]

Lundgren is in this a fair amount, possibly the most amount of screen time after Howard. There are a lot of the "parody" films from Dolph's character's career that are all over the movie. It's a legitimate supporting performance.

[Jox]

[Jox]

What to watch at home in November

Writer/director Orson Oblowitz has lovingly crafted a feature presentation as meta-cinematic as it is nostalgic, conjuring a dying breed of scuzzy old-school cinephilia in an age of digital uniformity. John Savage turns up too, as George’s pawnbroking neighbour Lucky who, like George or indeed this film, deals in the abandoned treasures of yesteryear with an incorruptible affection.

https://lwlies.com/articles/what-to-wat ... -november/

[Tom]

I really enjoyed this. Dolph fans are a perfect audience because it speaks directly to people who grew up on B movie cinema (and because it's Dolph in that role especially), fused with just being a general love letter to movie theatres and the experience of seeing a film on the big screen.

It's also on every technical level and quite easily, the best thing Dolph has been in since Creed 2. This is a proper movie and not something that's just been shat out as disposable content. It comes from a place of passion, which really is felt in Orson's story and Terrance Howard's performance. Howard is superb to be fair. Dolph probably does the most effective riff on this exaggerated version of his persona (if you compare it to his sitcom riffs on his career) and has some interesting character quirks as Hallyday outside of his movie images.

It does owe a lot to Tarantino and Rodriguez and the way they homage grindhouse/B-movies but doesn't just become a pale imitator of their style (thankfully). When the film starts to mirror Hallyday's own B pictures, it's not quite as effective for me, but the sequences are enjoyable. As for Orson Oblowitz, I'd love to see him work with Dolph again and I'd love to see Dolph transition into more interesting projects and supporting parts because a lot of the action stuff seems physically beyond him now and apart from anything else must be boring.

Judging by Twitter it seems like maybe Oblowitz isn't that happy with the distribution and a real lack of fanfare, which is a shame because this is that rare direct-to-video (bar the very short theatrical run) that actually feels like it's come from a place of passion. As such, I don't know if it's going to sink way under the radar, which is a shame for a really well-lensed film and an inspired Howard.

Sidenote- Just realised I watched a previous film from Orson called The Queen of Hollywood Blvd that had similar nostalgic shades as this, but without quite so much budget, but I did enjoy that one too.

[Jox]

EDIT:

[Jox]

For non-french people, Dolph's name Claude-Luc Hallyday is an obvious nod to french superstar (although not really famous outside of France) Johnny Hallyday. He was mainly a singer (might seem a bit out-of-date to some) and an actor (he acted in a Johnnie To movie). And in my opinion it's also a nod to JCVD with a composed first name.

The other reference we missed is Luc Besson, so Claude for JCVD, Luc for Besson and Hallyday for Johnny Hallyday (as per Oblowitz interview above)

[Jox]

LA premiere with cast & crew December 7
https://studios.wearebraindead.com/screening/11/513164
https://tickets.wearebraindead.com/purchase/513167/

Interview with Terrence Howard

[Jox]

Ten Great Love Letters to Cinema by Tom Jolliffe
https://www.flickeringmyth.com/2023/12/ ... to-cinema/

Showdown at the Grand

Here’s a recent film flying just below the radar which deserves a little more limelight. Orson Oblowitz’s, Showdown at the Grand sees a theatre owner (and passionate lover of Grindhouse cinema) struggling to keep his beautiful old-fashioned venue afloat in a post-pandemic landscape. A nefarious tycoon has her eyes on obtaining the Grand so she can bankroll an expensive new gentrification project in the shitty, downtrodden part of town. George (Terrence Howard) won’t sell out of principal and his unwavering love for his building, the memories and the movies.

George is hoping for a big boost of interest when hosting a special screening of one of his idol Claude Luc Hallyday’s (Dolph Lundgren) movies with the star scheduled to make an appearance. As he prepares for it, he finds himself under increasing pressure from Lynn (Amanda Righetti) and her goons (Mike Ferguson and Jose Rosete).

Lundgren appears firstly in an intermittent series of B-picture style movie clips showcasing the cinema of Hallyday battling vampires in post-apocalyptic landscapes and more. Oblowitz captures perfect nostalgic notes for anyone with a love of B pictures and Grindhouse cinema in a film with very distinct shades of Tarantino (without falling into too many pitfalls of the Tarantino-esque film). Further, we really feel the comforting warmth of the titular grand itself, representing that inimitable aura of a theatre most cinephiles grew up attending. This film almost makes you smell the slightly dank seating and feel the stickiness of the floors and worn carpets. Christ, I might cry.

Anyway… Terrence Howard is superb, particularly in the more reflective first half of the picture (which slowly transitions to a Grindhouse of sorts itself). Howard exudes sincerity here and really carries the picture and sells the nostalgia. Lundgren riffs himself in a way we’ve seen a few times but never more effectively or interestingly as here. Lundgren fans in particular should definitely vibe with this as effectively George depicts them in particular. Give the film a watch, it’s a lot of fun.

[Jox]

From yesterday's LA premiere



They had printed some of Claude Luc Hallyday's fake movie posters:

[bomaz]

A (very) short BTS.

[Jox]

10 DL gifs
https://cinemapix.tumblr.com/post/736152352679198720

[JuV]

They had printed some of Claude Luc Hallyday's fake movie posters

Are any of those 2 posters available in better quality? I love them!

[Jox]

Not that I know of...

Here is another shot: